Complicated Heartbreak
by Virgo girl 14
Summary: Set from during the holidays with Finn's recovery onward to Sam's diagnosis. Finn and Bex are close friends, but maybe he's thinking more? read more to find out. Sam/Finn Bex/Finn
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in Waterloo Road... but I do wish I owned Finn...

**Complicated Heartbreak  
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**-One-**

"I mean it Finn Sharkey, you climb that bridge again and I'll chuck you off it!" Bex Fisher scowled and looked at him, but as she made eye contact she smiled. She could never stay mad for long.

"Alright I won't!" Finn laughed, looking up at her from his hospital bed. "How's uni life treating ya? Missed me yet?" he teased.

"It's great. Beginning to miss Jonah and Ronan pratting about though." She laughed.

"See told ya you'd miss me." He said cockily.

"You're not that special." She smirked.

"Ouch, Fisher I'm heartbroken." He grinned.

"Good." She nodded and looked around when the door opened. She thought she saw a flash of jealousy flit across Sam's face, but before she could blink it was gone.

"Hey.. Is he causing trouble already?" Sam asked, forcing a smile.

"Nah, just trying out of his league." Bex grinned.

"If you're talking about me can I be included in the conversation?" Finn commented.

"The point of talking about you is not talking to you though." Bex smirked as Sam leaned over to kiss him.

"I'm wounded Fisher. I really am." He grinned, kissing his girlfriend back.

"You'll live. You survived that fall didn't you." She smirked.

"Yep, no warning needed, I know you'd throw me off." He laughed and looked at Sam, who looked as though she was going to say something. "She's joking babe." He added. The last thing he wanted was his girlfriend and friend arguing.

Bex nodded and stood up. "Well I'll leave you two alone. I know when three's a crowd." She grinned.

"What? No kiss?" he joked.

"You're not that lucky." She laughed.

"On the cheek then? Or a hug?" he grinned.

Bex shared a look with Sam and settled for the hug. She leaned over, hugged him and then stepped back. "There's no way I'm kissing you." She laughed.

"Jess did." He smirked.

"I'm not Jess." She responded with a smirk. "Now stop distracting me and let me leave!"

"Fine if I have to." He pretended to look hurt.

"You've got your girlfriend to keep you happy."

"I know. I am and I love her loads, but you're fun too." He grinned.

"Goodbye Finn!" She laughed and walked out before he could say anything else.

Sam could do nothing but stand and watch the whole thing, trying to hold her anger in, stopping herself from slapping the pair of them and reminding Finn just who he was meant to be going out with.

Once Bex had gone Finn had finally noticed a change in Sam. "Babe what's up?"

"You didn't like it when Kyle flirted with me so why are you doing the same with her?" Sam scowled.

"Aw come on don't be like that." He said, still not clearly getting what his closeness with the oldest Fisher sister was doing to his relationship.

"Like what?" she looked at him.

"Come here."

"No!"

"Just come here. Please."

Sam moved and sat next to him on the bed.

Finn reached up and pulled so she was lying next to him and he looked at her. "There is nothing going on between me and Bex alright? We're just really close and she trusts me with a lot of things. I help her and I'm there for her cause I'm just a friend. I love you, alright so stop panicking." He smiled.

"Yeah but it seems-"

He cut her off with a kiss. "I know what it looks like, but there's nothing there."

After that, Sam just lay there silently, her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat.

Finn lay there thinking over his words. He knew there were lies in what he said, but he also knew he could do nothing about it, and knew nothing would come of it.

Bex was broken and damaged too young and he could see even in their moments she didn't trust him completely.

She would often come close to letting him in, and then instantly shut him out again, afraid of the rejection she thought she'd receive, but it didn't stop him trying to get her to talk.

Finn knew he cared for her more than a friend should, and knew he had to push those feelings aside and concentrate on who he should really love, Sam. After all he did risk his life saving her brother…


	2. Chapter 2

**-Two-**

A few weeks had passed; Finn was out of hospital on his way to making a full recovery. The previous argument had been forgotten between him and Sam and they were fine once more, and he continued to be close to Bex.

Bex had continued with uni, studying dance as a major vocation for her, and continued coming back home every weekend to see her family and her friends.

Finn had got bored stuck indoors while it was nice and sunny out, and decided to get Sam out of the house during the holidays, dragging Bex with him.

Bex had ditched her recognisable blonde hair, instead she'd dyed her hair a dark red, and when in contact with sunlight it was made brighter.

Sam had no choice but to get used to the idea of her boyfriend and this other girl being so close, and had to continue to hide her displeasure every time they flirted with each other.

Bex saw this over time and picked that day to reassure her, so she walked over to her. "Sam? Could I have a word?" Bex looked at the girl.

Sam looked as she was spoken to and nodded. "Yeah sure." She said. Just because she had to get used to it didn't mean she had to like it.

"I couldn't help but notice you looked uncomfortable with… the way we act around each other." She said gently.

"Yeah… course it annoys me…" Sam admitted.

"I just wanted you to know I have no intention on making a move on him.. And… I was kind of hoping we could be friends?" Bex said, smiling a little.

Sam looked into the girl's honest face. She knew… of course she knew Bex wouldn't. She was too frightened by the prospect of a relationship after what she'd been through. At that moment she felt stupid and guilty for even assuming she was trying to take him away from her. "Yeah… yeah course. And I'm sorry."

"Hey it's fine. I think I would have been the same if some other girl was doing that with my boyfriend." Bex managed another smile.

'_One step at a time, Sambuca._' Sam thought to herself. '_Just one step at a time and maybe you can get over this jealousy thing._'

Finn came bounding over at that moment. "What you girls talking about?" he asked. "Not me again I hope."

"Well ain't you lucky, cause it's none of your business." Bex laughed.

Finn smirked and bent, grabbing her around the legs and lifting her up over his shoulder.

Bex let out a shriek of surprise. "Put me down Sharkey!" she yelled.

"No way! I've been dying to do this for ages." He laughed, and Sam laughed along with him.

"Oi! You're meant to be on my side Sambuca!" she pouted.

"Sorry Bex I have no control now." Sam laughed, and watched as Finn decided to take off toward the fields, running up the hill. She rolled her eyes and followed after him.

"Put me down!" Bex continued to shout, and Finn kept a tight hold on her legs so she couldn't kick him or try to throw herself off, it didn't stop her prodding him in the lower back though.

"Fisher, you're too light you need to pig out a bit." Finn laughed. "Ow!" his comment had prompted something sharp to dig into his arm.

Bex had bitten him, and smirked to herself.

"Now put me down." She said.

"If I don't?" he smirked, walking to the top of the grassy hill.

"You'll get bitten again." She threatened.

He instantly dropped her to the floor. "You have sharp teeth." He commented, twisting his arm so he could see what damage she'd done.

Both girls just laughed at him and dropped to the floor, stretching their legs out in front of them and leaning back on their arms.

Sam was in light blue jeans, plain pink top and her white trainers, while Bex was in a pale blue knee-length summer dress and blue slip-on shoes.

Finn looked at them both before deciding to move and sit behind Sam. "Have you two settled your differences or what?" he looked at them.

"Yes we have." Bex nodded with a smile. "Well I hope so." She added.

"Yeah we're just gonna go slow with this." Sam said.

"Aww does that mean I have to calm down?" Finn pouted.

"If you wanna keep your relationship going, yeah." Bex smirked.

Sam looked at her and smiled, leaning back against him.

Bex smiled back and shuffled back a little so she could sit against him as well.

"Am I a leaning post now I'm actually out of hospital?" he commented.

Both girls nodded and said "Yep." And laughed.

"I feel used." He smirked.

"Aww don't worry you'll live." Bex laughed.

Finn grinned and put his arm around her, keeping the other one around Sam. "I dunno if I will."

"Well there's nothing we can do, so shut it." Sam laughed.

"I'm being ganged up on by a couple of girls!" he pouted. "And one's meant to love me!"

"I do. Just not enough to stop using you as a leaning post." Sam grinned.

From that moment the three of them continued to laugh and joke about, and lost track of the time. Neither of them noticed until Sam's phone started to ring and se picked it up.

"Mum we're not that far." Sam said. "What? You're joking!" she said, sounding shocked. "Okay we'll head back now. Yeah bye." She hung up and checked the time. "Bloody hell it is!"

"What?" Bex looked at her.

"Nearly 8 o'clock." Sam said as the sky was just beginning to darken.

"Wow… better get back then." Bex nodded and both girls helped each other to stand, brushing off bits of grass that had attached itself to them, and Finn stood up, doing the same.

The three of them ran down the hill laughing and across the field toward Sam's.

"Hey listen, if you need anyone to talk to, I'm here okay?" Bex said, smiling as Sam as they walked.

"Yeah thanks." Sam smiled back and both of them hugged, and then Sam gave Finn a kiss and ran to her door, walking inside.

Neither of them knew how much that would mean to each other in the weeks to come as both Finn and Bex walked away from Sam's home.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: To Sophie Pearson, thank you for the review, and to answer your question it might be Sam/Finn, might be Bex/Finn or they might be alone toward the end I haven't got that far yet :) I have up to chapter 6 written already, I will write more as the series goes on, depending on Finn's decision in next week's episode :)

**-three-**

"Oi, leaving me so soon Fisher?" Finn smirked as he walked toward the bus stop Bex was stood at with her bag in hand.

"Don't you have school to get to?" Bex commented, looking at him.

"Free period." He laughed, standing in front of her.

"So instead of talking to the uni girl isn't it better to spend this hour with your girlfriend?" she rose an eyebrow, smiling.

"Well… yeah but the uni girl is fun and more easy to annoy." He grinned cheekily.

"Just make sure you're not ignoring her cause of me. I've already caused enough trouble at school when I was there let alone when I'm not." She smiled.

He rolled his eyes and hugged her. "I'm not. And anyway that wasn't your fault; it was that idiot Wayne's. And Kyle." He said.

"And if I hadn't of done those things anyway they wouldn't have a grudge against me." She sighed.

"Right you, look at me." He said, stepping back so he could look at her. "Please." He added when she wouldn't look at him.

Bex forced herself to look at him.

"It's not your fault that prick looked at you like that and made you do them things. It's not your fault he put them out there for everyone to see. You were blackmailed; you were scared I know that. I was there at the trial remember?" he told her gently.

Bex nodded slightly and chewed on her bottom lip. "I know… I know and you wouldn't let me go afterward…" she smiled a little.

"Well I'm a friend, friends are meant to be there for each other and I was trying to make up for lost time." He smiled. "I figured that if I wasn't there for you through the whole… thing then I could be there when you got one over on his ass."

"Yeah…" she laughed a little. "Sam's really lucky to have you." She added.

"Nah.. I reckon I'm the lucky one." He smiled. "I'm just the class idiot remember." He grinned.

"You're not that much of an idiot." She laughed when she saw his expression change. "Okay you're not at all!" she giggled and looked over his shoulder. "That's my cue to go." She added, seeing the bus turning up.

"Damn! And I was having fun too." He grinned and hugged her again. "You better make sure you text me yeah?"

Bex rolled her eyes, laughing and she hugged back, and then grabbed her bag as the bus stopped in front of them. "Or what?"

"Or I'll keep bugging you all week by calling you up in lessons." He threatened, smirking.

"And you would as well!" she laughed, showing her pass to the bus driver and then went to her seat.

Finn grinned and watched as the bus drove away then he turned in the other direction, making his way to Sam's, all the while his mind was on the girl who had just left him.

When he got to Sam's he took out his phone and rang her.

"Prince, don't throw your food!" Sam sighed heavily. Trust her mum to do a disappearing act this morning and leave her to deal with her baby brother while Denzil made his own way to school. She let out an angry growl when she heard her phone ring. "This better be mum…" she muttered, answering it. "Hello?"

"What have I done now? I ain't even seen you yet." Finn teased, he could tell by her tone she wasn't happy.

"Shut it you, where are you?" Sam smiled a little.

"Waiting outside for ya, lemme in." he laughed.

"Let yourself in! I'm dealing with a child here and about to murder him. D'you think I could go down for murder if I killed my own brother?"

Finn just laughed and hung up, walking up to the front door and opened it. "Yeah I think you would." He answered her, shutting the door behind him and walking into the kitchen where she was. It looked like Prince had been let loose with food and a blender, never mind just throwing it about.

"Damn it. Thought I could get away with it for a minute there." She smiled.

"Where's your mum gone?" Finn looked at her then hugged her.

"That's what I've been trying to find out." Sam muttered and hugged back.

"Well I was all for a relaxing morning but you need help cleaning this up, come on." He grinned.

Sam gave him a relieved smile and stepped away from him, starting to clean up what she could. "Do you know what time Bex leaves?" she asked.

Finn picked Prince up and carried him to the sink, sitting him on the side. "No." he lied. He didn't think she'd be best pleased to find out he'd been stood talking to Bex the whole time rather than coming to her rescue. "She's probably gone by now anyway, in case she gets there late or something." He added.

Sam listened as she grabbed the sweeping brush from beside the fridge and started to brush all the food into a pile in the corner of the room by the bin. "Yeah probably." She agreed.

Finn grinned and cleaned Prince up and then put him back down on the ground. "I don't think he's going to school like that." He laughed. "I'll sort that you go sort him." He added, walking to her, taking the brush from her.

Sam looked at him. "I don't have a choice do I." she smiled, and laughed when he shook his head, then she followed Prince out the room, helping him up the stairs so she could get him changed.

Finn swept up the pile and chucked it in the bin, grimacing as he did.

Once Prince was in a fresh change of clothes, he looked up at his sister. "Mummy says she finks something's wrong with you." He stated in a matter-of-fact way.

"What d'you mean?" Sam looked at him.

Prince just stared at her with those wide, innocent eyes. "I heard her talking to Tom, she says she'll see if you keep having these headaches all week and she'll make an appointment with the doctor to make you all better."

Sam just shrugged a little, thinking her brother was just rambling on about nothing again. "Well she won't need to because I'm fine." She smiled. "It's probably just stress cause I got my exams coming up soon ain't I. You know what mum's like ever since she was with Tom and that... always worrying. She'd worry about Marley if he didn't tell her to shut up and stop it every time he came home for the holidays."

Prince ran over and hugged her around the legs. "You not going to leave us are you." He said.

Sam finished putting things into her school bag and looked at him, picking him up. "No course I'm not gonna leave you. Right, let's get you off to school... I'll tell Finn he can meet me at mine, it'll just be us two yeah?"

Prince nodded.

Sam smiled and put her bag on her shoulder, and carried Prince down the stairs, seeing Finn by the door anyway. "You carry on, I'll be fine. He's feeling a bit upset because mum ain't here so I thought I could take him on my own."

"Yeah course. Just try not to miss me too much." Finn smirked and kissed her.

"Trust me I won't." she teased, kissing back.

"I'm heartbroken Sam." He laughed and walked out.

"Yeah well you'll live!" she laughed, following him out and shutting the door behind her, and they both went their separate ways, if only for a short while.


	4. Chapter 4

**-four-**

"That's it I'm not waiting a week I'm getting her an appointment now…" Rose said defiantly as she looked at her daughter, now sleeping on the sofa, and Tom was stood in front of her.

"She's not epileptic is she?" Tom said; looking over at Rose, wondering what caused the fit Sam had. "Migraines wouldn't do that…"

"A severe one might…" Rose said. "I don't know Tom.. What do I do?"

"We stay calm. Just like we always do." He said, using the plural automatically. There was no way he was letting her go through this alone. He knew what she was capable of, and knew when faced with something she didn't want to understand she would hit the bottle, and she'd been clean for some time now, he didn't want her going back to square one.

Rose jumped when she heard the phone ring and she answered it. It was Prince's school, wondering why she hadn't come to pick him up. She explained that something had happened.

"I'll go collect him." Tom said. "You need to stay here with Sam."

Rose nodded and then said Tom would come for him, and she gave them the description of him before hanging up.

"Don't worry, I won't tell him what's happened. Poor kid's gonna be worried enough to find his sister spark out on the sofa." Tom nodded, and hugged Rose. "Everything will be fine."

Rose nodded and hugged back. "If you see Finn on your travels.. Don't tell him either… Sam's never been one for liking everyone fussing over her…"

Tom nodded again and walked out to pick Prince up from school.

Rose just sat by her daughter's side, softly running a hand through her hair. Denzil had gone back to Emily's, Prince was still in school and her little girl had given her the fright of a lifetime.

It seemed like an age had passed when Tom brought Prince back, and the child was all too eager to run out of the car and up to his house, wanting to show his mum and siblings what he'd done in school.

When Prince ran into the living room he stopped. "What's wrong with Sammy?" he asked.

"She's just had a long day love; she's having a little nap." Rose lied, smiling at him, holding her arms out for a hug. She felt bad for having to lie to him. He deserved to know what was wrong with her, but he was far too young to understand and he would be scared beyond belief.

Prince just ran straight to her, hugging her tight, school bag lying forgotten by the door.

Rose looked over at Tom, mouthing silently; "I'll give the hospital a ring in the morning."

Tom gave her a small smile. "Well I best be off, Josh will be wondering why tea isn't ready yet."

"Okay.. Thank you, Tom." Rose smiled and watched as Tom left once more, leaving her with two of her children, one still sleeping, the other worried, understandably for his sister.


	5. Chapter 5

**-five-**

Sam sat in her bedroom in her school uniform, trying to put her seizure out of her mind, but couldn't help but wonder what had caused it.

"Sam! Come on, love we're going to be late." Rose called up the stairs.

"Yeah, I'm comin'!" Sam called, grabbing her phone and sending a quick message to Finn, Lauren and Bex saying she was setting off to the hospital now, and she'd be going into school later. She stood up and walked out of her bedroom with her school bag in hand, and she walked down the stairs.

"You don't have to go into school after this you know, love." Rose said gently, walking to her daughter as she appeared at the foot of the stairs and she gently touched her face.

"I'll be fine, mum. The doctors are just gonna tell us exactly what I've been saying, it's just a migraine." Sam smiled, keeping her hopes high.

"Yeah, probably. But it doesn't hurt to check does it? And anyway, doctors always wore me out. Are you passing up a day to curl up on the sofa with your old mum?" Rose smiled.

"Yeah, but only cause it's an important year. At the weekend I won't go out with my friends and we can spend the whole day together, yeah?"

Rose nodded and went to grab her coat. "Come on, we're really pushing time."

Sam smiled and walked out, slinging her bag over her shoulder as her mother appeared at her side.

"Finn she'll be fine. It's probably gonna be all blood tests and stuff." Lauren shrugged.

"Yeah I know, but Clarkson said she collapsed a couple of days ago. I just want to know if she's alright." Finn looked at her.

"You big softie." Lauren laughed and jumped out the way when he tried to grab her. "No!" she laughed, running down the corridor.

Finn smirked and ran after her.

"Oi! No running in the corridors!" Tom shouted as they passed him.

"Sorry si-AAHH!" Lauren squealed and laughed as Finn caught up to her and threw her over his shoulder. "Finn put me down now!"

"Why?" he smirked, carrying her through the corridors and made his way to the lockers.

"Cause I'm wearing a skirt and you're messing up my hair."

"No one can see anything anyway you got tights on and I'm holding it down. And your hairs a mess anyway." He smirked. "Ow!" he scowled as she punched him in the back and he dropped her to her feet again as he got to the lockers.

Lauren straightened out her clothes again and went to her locker, grinning. "This is gonna be a long day ain't it."

"For you yep." Finn grinned, and then the bell for lesson went. "Come on, let's go annoy whoever's got us first." He said, pulling Lauren along once she was done with her locker.

Both Rose's and Sam's minds were still reeling from the news they had just received. Brain cancer? Inoperable? She was 17 years old, this sort of stuff didn't happen to kids…

"We'll get a second opinion. We'll go private." Rose said as they waited for their bus.

Sam looked at her mother, who looked as though she was about to crumble, yet she herself couldn't even bring herself to cry. It was her illness and her mother had more of a reaction to the news than she did… what kind of person did that make her?

"I'll find the money, Sam… there is no way my baby's got cancer, alright? It's just… just migraines like you said…"

Sam wanted to change the subject. "I want to go to school." She said.

"Are you sure you're up for it, love? Like I said earlier you don't have to, I'm sure one day won't hurt."

"Yeah… besides it's careers day… don't want to miss it." Sam nodded.

"Alright love" Rose nodded and stood up as the bus arrived, and they both got onto it.

Sam walked through the school gates at break time and she looked around for Finn or Lauren.

"Sam!"

She looked when she heard her name and spotted Finn with Lauren, Amy, Josh and Harry. She smiled and she walked over to them.

"So how did it go?" Finn asked.

Sam looked at him and her friends. How could she tell them? She didn't have much time to live she knew that… and her friends thought they had forever. She couldn't handle the truth yet… So she decided to lie.

"Yeah it's fine… just migraines that's all." Sam smiled.

She was lying to protect them from the hurt they'd have to endure. One thing she hated was hurting the ones she loved.

"You had us all worried there babe." Finn smiled, hugging her.

"Yeah never worry him again. He annoys EVERYBODY!" Lauren laughed.

Sam laughed with her. "Well I told you I'd be fine." She said, though she wasn't sure who she was trying to convince more, herself or those around her…


	6. Chapter 6

**-six-**

The week passed in a blur for Sam, she could barely concentrate but she forced herself to, but she knew she'd have to tell her friends soon, they were starting to notice. She needed to speak to someone else first... and had to wait until Saturday to do it.

"Just going out to the shop to get a few things, I'll be back in a bit mum!" Sam called and she walked out of the door before Rose could say a word. As she walked toward the shops she could see Bex standing there waiting for her.

"Hey…" Sam said as she walked over to her.

"Hey, you alright? You sounded worried on the phone…" Bex said, looking at her.

"Uh… it's complicated…" Sam looked back at her and they both walked into a nearby newsagents.

Both girls looked around the shop, Sam getting loads of sweets and chocolate, Bex just waiting patiently for her friend to talk.

"Can I trust you with something…?" Sam spoke finally once they'd paid for everything and they walked out the shop.

"Yeah sure." Bex nodded.

"And you promise not to tell anyone? Not even Finn?"

Bex thought for a second before reluctantly nodding. "Yeah…"

Sam nodded slightly and looked ahead of her. She was trying to force the right words into her head and force herself to say them. But what right words were there for 'I've got cancer and there's a huge chance I ain't going to make it to my 18th birthday.'

"Sam…? Is everything alright…?"Bex tilted her head slightly.

Sam felt tears prickling her eyes and she shook her head.

They both stopped and Bex hugged her.

As soon as she did that, her resolve crumbled. "I've got cancer…" Sam sobbed, hugging back.

"What…?" Bex froze and looked at her. "Please tell me you're joking… Th-this is some kind of stupid wind up of your brother's right…?"

Sam shook her head. "No… And they definitely think it's terminal… I had to go for more tests yesterday… I should get the results Monday… Until then I'm on like 6 different tablets…" she said, her tears still falling.

Bex just hugged her friend again and she could feel her own eyes stinging. She wouldn't cry though… her friend needed her to be strong for her, because she sure as hell wasn't strong at the moment. "Maybe it's not… maybe you'll be fine… you can have an operation to get rid of it and you'll be fine…"

"It's on a certain part of my brain and they might not be able to operate…" Sam said quietly.

Bex winced. She'd lost her grandfather to several brain tumours and a stroke. There was no coming back from this… She fought to keep her voice strong. "You can't think of the negatives… Think about the negatives it will drive you mad."

Sam nodded and wiped her eyes, calming herself down; she didn't want her mum to worry.

"C'mon, I'll walk you back, and then I can either stay with you or make myself scarce and go annoy Finn for a bit." Bex said, linking their arms together, giving Sam no other option but to let her walk with her.

The pair walked back to Sam's, Bex had managed to cheer her up, making her laugh.

"Hey promise me something." Bex said as Sam went to her door.

"Sure." Sam looked at her, her hand on the door handle ready to go inside.

"Make sure he's the 2nd to know."

Sam nodded and walked into her house, shutting the door behind her, ready to spend the rest of the day with the curtains drawn in the living room and curled up on the sofa with her mother watching DVD's.

Bex sighed heavily, running her hand through her hair and she took out her phone, only then realising she was shaking. She called Finn and started to walk. "Finn meet me at the park… I could do with one of your hugs right now…"

"What's wrong? Give me 10 minutes." He said.

"Ugh.. Just… stuff I can't explain… "

"And a hug from me will make it better? I feel special." He smirked.

Bex let out a small laugh. "Don't get your hopes up too high..."

"Damn." He laughed and set off toward the park.

He soon saw her appear, they both hung up on each other, walked across until they met in the middle in a hug. "You're shaking." He commented. "You sure something hasn't happened?"

"Yeah… I'm sure." She nodded, starting to calm down now.

Finn wasn't convinced, but he didn't push her. If it was something he needed to know she'd tell him in her own time.

A/N: Chapter 7 will come to me soon, I jus need to re-watch last weeks episode while trying not to cry and from then on everything depends on Wednesday 25th's episode


	7. Chapter 7

**-seven-**

"So when do you actually find out what's wrong with you?" Lauren questioned as she , Sam and Amy walked through the school on Monday morning.

"Dunno. Mum said we'll get a call from the doctors at any time today." Sam shrugged.

"Hopefully it'll be good yeah?" Lauren looked at her.

Sam was about to reply when she felt someone hug her around the waist from behind. She looked over her shoulder to see Finn there and she smiled, kissing him. "Any reason for that?" she asked.

"Nope." Finn shook his head, grinning as they walked into Miss Choudry's lesson, only to be told to go to the assembly hall for the first part of their lesson.

"Come on, maybe we'll find your stalker." Sam laughed looking at Amy.

"Yeah, you're just jealous cause I'm the one getting stalked." Amy said cockily, smirking and the four of them made their way to the assembly hall.

"Yeah I'd love for someone to be putting creepy notes into my locker wanting me out the school." Sam said dryly, raising an eyebrow at her friend.

As the day went on, and the questions came more and more, about what was going on, about what her medication was for, Sam stood back and thought over it. She didn't have a clue what her medication was for. None of it, yet she took them like a good little girl because the doctor told her to.

Lauren and Finn stopped when they realised Sam wasn't with them and they turned and looked at her.

"Ain't you coming for lunch?" Lauren asked.

"Urm… nah I'll join ya later. Just got to do something." Sam said and took off down the corridor before either of them could say a word. She needed to get to a computer and fast, she needed to get answers for herself about her medication before she could answer anyone else's questions about it.

Once in the student common room she walked over to the computer, sitting down and logging on. Then she grabbed her bag, shook out her medication on to the table and dumped the bag on the floor again at her feet.

Desperation clutched at her like someone trying to cling on to something in the water trying not to drown as she searched every single explanation for the names of the drugs she was taking.

Once she got all the information she needed she came off the sites and logged herself off, jumping up and shoving the stuff bag in her bag. As she wheeled round she almost knocked into Jess.

"Woah Sam slow down. Everything okay?" Jess looked at her.

"Yeah.. sorry look if you see Finn and Lauren tell them I've just gone to walk off a headache…" Sam said and ran from the common room, leaving Jessica Fisher speechless for the first time in a long while.

Sam ran all the way to the hospital to find answers, only to realise once she had a chat with her doctor that she wished she hadn't. Her first thought was "I don't want to go…" and possibly for the first time since her diagnosis, the feeling of total loss and devastation.

Sam numbly stood from the chair and walked out of the room, out of the hospital, walking to the park first to say her final piece, and then back to school. It was as if she were on autopilot and she made her way through the corridors to the computer room and began to put her video together. She knew she was missing the presentation, but all she cared about was putting this together. She figured if she couldn't say it out loud, she could say it through a video.

Sam finished the video in time for the end of day bell to finish and she took the disk out, unplugged the video camera and grabbed her bag, logging herself off the computer and she walked out of the computer room, walking toward the assembly hall where she caught up with Lauren.

"Hey Sam where've you been?" Lauren asked.

"Oh… just had to go for a walk. Where's Amy…?" Sam looked at her.

"Oh I found out who her stalker is, and he went back to his to record his dad's little secret, turns out he was with Amy's mum and she's gone off on one, he ran out after her… We need to find her before she kills him." Lauren explained, grabbing her friend's arm and pulled her in the direction she'd seen Amy run in.

"So I didn't miss much then." Sam said sarcastically, running with her. "There she is."

Both girls walked to Amy as she came out of the art classroom.

"You okay?" Sam asked.

Amy just looked at her friend and shook her head. Usually she'd come back with some comment like "Does it look like it!" but at that moment she just needed her friends.

Lauren and Sam both hugged her. "At least it's over now yeah?" Sam said.

"It better be… could've ripped his throat out…" Amy muttered.

"C'mon. Let's go." Lauren said and the three of them walked through the corridors and out of the school and they walked toward the school gates slowly and they talked.

"We were waiting for you, we wanna see your video." Amy said, smiling a little.

"Yeah we ain't seen it." Lauren added.

"You will don't worry. I'll show ya… either later or tomorrow." Sam said.

"You better." Amy smiled and hugged both her friends. "There's my dad. You coming Lauren?" Amy pointed to the car that had just pulled up.

"Uh.." Lauren looked over her shoulder to see Finn walking toward them. "Yeah go on then." She said and hugged Sam. "See you later." And both girls got into Amy's dad's car.

Finn got to Sam's side and put his arm around her. "You alright?" he asked. "Where were you?"

"Yeah… yeah I'm fine…" she lied and shrugged. "I was putting the video together."

Finn nodded and they both walked away from the school back toward Sam's, and they both talked. Soon they stopped and they hugged.

Sam heaved a sigh and she bit her lip. It was now or never. "Finn… I got something I want to show you…" she said, pulling out of the hug.

"What's up Sam?" he looked at her.

"Just come on…" she muttered, grabbing his wrist and pulling him toward her door and she walked inside.

They both walked into the living room, and Tom asked him to leave. Sam shook her head, saying she wanted him to stay. Despite Rose saying they needed to talk, Sam was determined and she knelt down by the TV, digging into her bag for the DVD and put it into the DVD player.

Tom, Finn and Rose all sat down, Tom and Rose together, Finn the opposite side of the room, and Sam pressed play, then she got up and sat by her mum.

They all watched, Rose and Tom barely managing a smile. All they wanted to do was have a quiet chat with her. But they knew Sam was determined and wouldn't be stopped once she made her decision. Finn kept looking at her, a smile on his face, and then it came to Sam's final piece. He barely noticed how she just crumbled and leaned in toward her mum, who then put her arm around her. He just watched, transfixed and was barely able to take in what she was saying.

'_We're supposed to do a film today about ourselves that nobody else knows… Well up until today there was something about myself that I didn't even know. If making this film made me realise that I didn't even know much about my own illness, so I investigated… I've spoken to my doctor, and I know now… I know that there's nothing more they can do for me. I know that I'm dying…'_

"I'm sorry Finn…" Sam sobbed and she just let her mother hug her as she cried.

Finn could say nothing, still unable to take it all in and he turned his head from Sam, to the TV and back again.

"Finn please say something…" Sam sobbed again. She wanted him to hug her, tell her everything was going to be alright. She knew it wouldn't be, but she needed that reassurance. What she didn't expect was for him to jump up and run. Part of her wanted to go after him but part of her accepted he needed time to get his head around it. After all he didn't even know she had cancer, let alone that she was dying up until now.

Tom got up to go after him.

"Tom leave it… he probably needs to get used to it…" Rose said, quietly through her tears and she made him sit down again.

A/N: sorry it's been a little longer than anticipated, I've been busy :)


	8. Chapter 8

**-eight-**

"I'll see if I can get my dance teacher to give me the day off tomorrow and I'll get on the train tonight…" Bex said on the phone as she stood outside the dance room. "Finn trust me, if I explain the situation, guaranteed I'll get the day off."

"Did you know…? Is that why you never said anything Saturday…? Did you know?" Finn asked, trying to keep it together.

"I knew she had it yeah… she hasn't told me the results yet… please don't be angry with her, she made me promise not to say… anyway I thought it would be better coming from her anyway." Bex said quietly.

"Yeah well she's not gonna get better." He said, his voice cracking.

"Wh-what do you mean…?" Bex said as she felt her heart and stomach drop. She knew this was an inevitability, but Sam, her friend of only recent months, she was just a kid, she didn't deserve to have her life cut short.

She felt tears come to her eyes as Finn said; "She's dying."

She instantly felt three different pairs of arms wrap around her and she looked into the faces of her friends Hannah, Lucy and Jade.

Jade tried to take the phone but Bex wouldn't let her. "Where is she now…?"

"Probably still at home… I ran like the bloody coward I am…"

"Listen… you're not a coward alright…? I…it's a lot to take in…"

"She didn't even tell me she had it!"

"Finn… it's not your fault or hers… she was scared… Where are you..?"

"Home…"

"Stay there… I'll be back in Rochdale in an hour."

"Only takes you half an hour…"

"I need to get things sorted. Stay there and don't... for god's sake, don't do anything stupid."

Finn stayed quiet, looking around the room.

"Swear to me!"

"Yeah fine… I swear…" he muttered. What he wanted to do was trash the room, or do something to himself.

Bex nodded and hung up, put her phone in her pocket and then she wiped her eyes.

"What's going on? Why do you need to go back?" Jade asked.

"My friends there need me…" Bex said, composing herself and she managed to hold back the tears.

"Why? What's happening? We'll come with you if they need someone to kick someone's ass." Hannah said.

Bex smiled a little and shook her head. "It's not that… It's something personal… I just need to be there. Tell Michelle that regardless of what she says I ain't gonna be here tomorrow." She said, knowing Michelle, the dance teacher wasn't going to be pleased without a reason.

"She'll go mad." Lucy said.

Bex started walking towards the rooms they shared with other students. "If I get hell from her so be it. I don't really care. She ain't getting the reason out of me, not until I can be absolutely sure." She said, walking into her own room and she grabbed an overnight bag, shoving clothes in it, not bothering with make up or anything. She grabbed her handbag and walked back out again, her 3 friends following her.

"Who was that on the phone and what did he say?" Hannah asked.

"It was one of my friends… you know Finn? The one I always said I was close to…? Well it's not my place to say right now…. But he needs me… and so does Sam…" Bex sighed.

The three girls nodded and walked with her toward the train station. The girls hugged each other and Bex stood back, walking on to the train and she took her seat by the window, waving at her friends as the train departed minutes later.

Bex sat in silence, Finn's words going round in circles inside her brain, she couldn't take it in, didn't want to believe that Sam was being cruelly taken from them when she had so much to live for. She fumbled in her pockets for her phone and she sent a message to Finn, saying she'd just got on to the train.

Within minutes of the message being sent, he called her.

"Hey…" she said quietly as she answered it.

"Hey…" He sounded defeated, which worried Bex. Nothing ever got him that low… not even when he and Sam split for those brief couple of days last term.

"Where do you want me to meet you…?" she asked quietly, not letting her worry show in her voice.

"Just come straight to mine…" he muttered. "I ain't going out there not now."

"Yes you are… Sam needs you right now more than ever."

"What if I can't stand by her? I'm gonna have to sit back, do nothing and watch while my girlfriend slowly dies in front of me." He said harshly.

Bex closed her eyes as more tears came to her eyes. It reminded her of how helpless she felt watching as her grandfather went through the same thing when she was aged just fifteen, and then watched the horror of the stroke that finally took his life. "I know that feeling…" she muttered after a few moments' silence. "Having to watch somebody you love go through that… not knowing what to do, how to help them, also knowing there's nothing you can do to stop it from happening…"

Finn nodded, then realised she couldn't see him. "Yeah… How do you know?"

"Cause about three or four years ago I watched the same illness claim my granddad… I was 15 when he died… The tumours were killing him anyway but it was a stroke that killed him in the end…" Bex muttered, wiping her eyes when she realised her tears had started falling again.

"Sorry…" he muttered.

"It's fine… he's not in pain anymore and he's with my nan… so I know he's not alone up there now…" she said shakily.

The pair talked for the rest of the train journey until the train arrived into Rochdale train station and Bex got off, carrying her bag with her. "I'm here now… so I'll see you in a bit..." she said, walking out of the train station.

"Okay…" Finn said, even though he didn't want her to go yet.

"I'll be with you in about 15 minutes okay…" Bex said, running across the road to the bus that had stopped to let people off.

Finn said nothing.

"Finn..?" Bex said, showing her bus pass to the driver as she got onto the bus and quickly took her seat.

"Yeah okay.." Finn muttered.

Neither of them knew what else to say. And neither would be able to until they saw each other again.

Bex sighed quietly and she hung up, putting her phone in her pocket. She stared out of the window at the scenery passing, people taking, children laughing and playing, yet all she could think about was the pain her friends were going through, and she didn't feel much like smiling.

Bex got off at her stop and she made her way down the street. She took her phone from her pocket once more and texted Finn saying; "I'm almost there, come let me in x" and then put the phone away again.

Finn looked as he heard his phone on the table. He picked it up and read the message, sighing heavily. He got up and walked out of the room, down the stairs and to the front door, opening it and standing in the door way.

When Bex got there she saw him. He was stood there looking so lost, so scared; she'd never seen him like that before. She had never seen him look like the little boy he so obviously was behind all the front. She quickly walked over to him and hugged him tightly.

Finn watched her, and clung to her once she hugged him. He clung to her as though afraid she would disappear if he so much as thought of letting go.

No words were needed between them; the pair stood in the doorway, in each other's arms and cried.


	9. Chapter 9

.

**-nine-**

Bex stayed with him for the rest of that night, and they both talked until they were both tired and fell asleep on the sofa. She was lying across the sofa with her head on his leg, a cushion on his leg for neck support, and he was sleeping sat up.

Finn stirred as the front door closed and he opened his eyes. Rubbing them, he looked around and saw his mother walk into the room.

"Did you fall asleep on that silly game again?" his mother said exasperated.

"No… spent the night talking to my friend actually…" he muttered, gently lifting the cushion and Bex's head so he could stand and he gently put it back down again being careful not to wake her.

"I thought your friends were Josh and Ronan." His mother stated.

"Yeah they are. And so is Bex. Which you would know if you had been here." He scowled.

"Don't look at me like that love. You know we wouldn't have this house if I didn't work."

"You could, I dunno, come home for a bit longer than 5 minutes! Talk to me! See what's going on in my life!"

Bex woke up at his raised voice, but she kept her eyes closed as she heard someone else talking.

"Finn I'm a phone call away! Honestly you act like I completely ignore you!"

"Yeah for all the good it is! For how long you're away you may as well be ignoring me!"

"I'm not listening to this. Let me know when you've stopped acting like a child." She picked up her bag once more and made for the door.

"My girlfriend is dying!" he called after her, turning to face her.

She stopped and looked back at him. "I'm sorry, son." She said and walked out, closing the door behind her.

Bex opened her eyes, shocked and appalled at what she'd just heard. Finn was crying out for his mother and she just wasn't listening. She got up and walked over to him, putting a hand on his arm, which he roughly pushed away. She took a step back, knowing he was too angry and upset, and she watched him walk to what she thought was his room.

Finn knew Bex only wanted to help, but what he needed right now was to be alone, because if he let his anger out in front of her, she would be another one to hate him for the monster he could become. He kicked his door shut behind him and looked around the room.

Bex made her way over to the closed door. "Finn? I'm going over to see Sam… Follow if you want." She said gently. She waited a moment for his response, and walked away from the door when she heard nothing. "I'll be back as soon as, yeah? Or if you get bored you can always come after us…" she added and walked out of the house, making her way toward Sam's. She felt her phone in her pocket and she took it out. It was her mum calling.

"Bex? Where are you? Jess and Vicki said they saw you getting off the bus yesterday." Karen said.

"Finn told me about Sam… that there's nothing else they can do… So I'm gonna stay with him for a bit… at least I'll be closer to them both rather than coming home…"

"Alright, darling. Are you going to see Sam now?"

"Yeah… Finn's just… sorting stuff out then he'll come after us." She didn't want to tell her about the altercation he had with his mother that morning. She knew her own mother could be married to her job sometimes but never in her life had Karen ignored her or Jess and Harry the way Finn's mother had with him. "Listen I'm gonna go, I'm nearly there now."

"Okay, love. Call me later okay?"

"Yeah okay… love you mum."

"Love you too Bex."

They both hung up just as Bex got to Sam's door. She walked up to it and knocked on the door. There was a minute before the door opened, and Josh was stood there.

"Hey…" Bex said quietly, and they both hugged.

"Who is it?" Sam called, hoping it was Finn.

"It's Bex." Josh called back, stepping out of the hug.

Sam let out a quiet sigh of disappointment, only heard by Lauren and Amy, and she smiled. "Well, let her in then!"

Bex laughed and walked inside, Josh shutting the door behind her and they both walked into the living room where the girls were watching a film.

"He told you then…?" Sam asked as Bex took her place on the floor beside her.

Bex could only nod.

"Know why he ain't here?" Amy asked.

"He had a bit of a run-in with his mum this morning.. I heard most of it but pretended to be asleep." Bex explained.

"You were there all night?" Amy looked a bit pissed off.

"Yeah, talked most of the night then I fell asleep on the sofa. Dunno where he went, must of gone to his own bed or something in the night." Bex shrugged. She did of course, know that she had been using his leg as a pillow, so knew he'd stayed on the sofa with her all night. But she also knew Amy didn't take lightly to her at the best of times given what was revealed to the school last term, and so thought it best to lie.

Amy nodded, seemingly happy with what was said and turned back to the TV.

Sam looked at Bex.

Bex looked back. "What is it?" she asked.

"Nothing…" Sam shrugged. She really didn't know what to do or say.

Bex smiled a little and hugged her. "You'll be fine… all we need to do is make sure you have enough fun that you forget the bad stuff going on."

Sam laughed a little and hugged back.

"That's exactly what we've been saying all morning." Lauren grinned, and offered Bex the bag of crisps she was eating. "Want one?"

"Yeah well let's make it happen." Bex smiled, reaching over and taking a couple of crisps from the packet, eating them. "What the hell's this?"

"God knows… it was just on the telly, and cause there's nothing else on we decided to watch it." Josh shrugged. "We're not doing much of that though." He added.

Bex nodded, rolling her eyes. "Sam where's your DVD collection? Let's get something good on? Or there's always music?"

"Dancing about sounds good." Amy grinned.

"Right that's sorted then." Bex grinned, jumping up, Amy and Lauren pulling Sam up, laughing.

Josh got up and walked to the stereo, putting the radio on for the girls.

"No Josh you're joining in." Bex smirked, Amy and Sam nodding in agreement.

"No way!" Josh laughed, but he was forced to anyway.

The five of them passed the time away laughing and having fun, so much so that every single one of them had forgotten their troubles, forgot that Sam was dying, and it was just another normal day with a group of friends.

"Come on Josh, we best go." Tom Clarkson said as he walked into the living room after a few hours. "Amy, Lauren, I'll drop you off on the way."

"Okay." Josh nodded, and he, Amy and Lauren stood up, hugged Sam and followed Tom out of the house to his car.

"I better go too… my bag's still at Finn's, and I need to ask him why he never came." Bex shrugged, hugging her friend.

"Okay…" Sam nodded, feeling tired now after everything had calmed down. "Bex? Thanks for today."

"Don't worry about it." Bex smiled. "Now I might or might not be here tomorrow, depends on if I get earache down the phone off my dance teacher…"

Sam laughed a little.

"But either way, tonight I will be beating some sense into your boyfriend." Bex finished with a small laugh and got up, walking to the door.

"Bex?"

She turned at the sound of her name, to see Rose walking down the stairs, she'd obviously just put the youngest child to bed. "Yeah?"

"Thank you for helping Sam forget today… She's got real friends in you, Amy, Lauren and Josh." Rose said softly.

"I'm not here to feel sorry for her…I'm here to help her have fun while she still can." Bex smiled.

"This shouldn't happen to her… she's a child… she should have her life ahead of her…" Rose looked as though she were about to cry.

Bex walked over to the older woman and put a hand on her shoulder. "I know… and it's not fair… but as hard as this is gonna be, you all need to be so close… closer than you've ever been before…"

"I've let her down so much in her life Bex." Rose said quietly.

"Whatever you've done in the past, she's forgotten about it and she loves you so much… you're her mum. And she needs you to be so strong right now… You're not alone, you got us, and you can always talk to my mum? You have Tom, your whole family with you. Anything you need just tell us and I'll tell my dance teacher where she can stick it and I'll be straight round, like I was last night. When Finn told me about her, I was about to go into our last session and I gave my friends an excuse and I got straight on the train and the bus and I was talking to him most of the night."

Rose nodded, listening to her. "If you see him, make sure you give him a slap from me." She smiled a little.

"I'll be slapping him myself when I go back to his to get my bag." Bex said, sighing heavily. "Sam's got my number, so if you need anything just call me." She added and walked out and made her way back to Finn's.

She looked up at the house when she stopped outside and she sighed heavily, walking up to the door and she opened it. "Finn?" she called, walking into the house, shutting the door behind her.

Finn heard his name and walked out of his room, and down the stairs to see her, his hair a mess on his head as though he'd been sleeping. "Hey. How was she?"

"She was fine once we got things started and had a laugh… she'd be completely happy if her boyfriend bothered to show up though." Bex commented, looking at him.

"If I went over there with the mood I was in she'd of told me to leave." Finn sighed. "After I took it out on my room I went to sleep… not long just woke up actually…"

Bex nodded slightly. "Just… don't forget about her. She needs you too."

"I won't." Finn shook his head. "Just need to get my head together."

Bex nodded, and walked over and hugged him when he held his arms open for her.


	10. Chapter 10

**-ten-**

Denzil was stood outside his sister's bedroom, just staring at the closed door in front of him, with the sign on the door that read "Sam's Room". Ever since he'd learned of his sister's illness he had come to realise, that as much as she annoyed the hell out of him, and how much of a wind up merchant he was for her, he loved her so much, and didn't want to face up to the fact that his sister wouldn't be there for his entire life, Marley would miss what little time she had left because of university, Earl definitely would because he was stupid enough to kill his girlfriend and get locked up, but Prince would barely remember her. He saw her every day now, but once she was gone, and he'd never see her again, he would almost certainly forget about her.

But not Denzil. He remembered every tear she had wiped away, every argument and cross word they'd said to one another, every "I love you" every hug to keep away his fears and every time she'd protected him and Prince from Reynold. Although the waste of space had never raised a finger to her, to Denzil's knowledge, he'd definitely raised his voice to her and tried to shout her into submission.

Denzil knocked on his sister's door, and waited for the quiet "Come in" from the girl inside. Upon hearing it he opened the door and walked inside. He could see his sister sat by the window. "You can come into school you know?" he said, walking over and sitting by her. There was no way he was showing her how scared he was. He knew she needed his strength right now, because she wasn't getting it from Finn. He hadn't been round since Sam had told him everything.

"No… I'm not feeling up to it…" Sam said quietly, looking at her brother. "You okay?"

Denzil nodded, hearing her. "I'll try and get Finn to come round today." He said and nodded again. "Yeah I'm okay… it's you I'm worried about."

Brother and sister shared a hug.

"I'll be fine." Sam smiled.

"Denz come on you're going to be late for school!" Rose shouted.

"Go on. You don't want to annoy Clarkson by being late." Sam managed a smile.

Denzil forced a smile and got up, walking out, walking down the stairs for his school bag and out the front door for school.

Rose walked up the stairs and up to her daughter's room. "Tom's asked me to go in for a couple of hours; can you manage here on your own, love?"

"Yeah, I'll stuff myself with whatever's in the cupboard and watch telly." Sam smiled, even though she knew there was no way she'd eat anything. With the medication she was on, it was taking away her appetite.

Rose smiled a little at her daughter and kissed her on the head. "I love you Sam"

"You best not be saying goodbye yet. I'm going nowhere yet." Sam said determinedly.

"Of course not love." Rose smiled. She had to admire her daughter through all of this, showing her strength of character, showing her she was coping. "I won't be long." She added and walked out of her daughter's room, closing the door behind her and made her way down the stairs, taking Prince out the door with her, taking him to school and made her way to Waterloo Road School once she'd taken him into school.

Sam sighed heavily, looking around her room. Maybe she could finish some coursework that she had… it might stave off boredom for now… She got up and walked over to her desk where her bag lay on the floor and she picked it up, pulling out books and she started to work on them.

"Finn just don't do anything stupid. Yeah you're angry now but Amy and Lauren are only looking out for Sam." Bex sighed as she spoke on the phone to him. She was stood in the corridor with her friends, ready to go into the dance room.

"Not you as well! Why can't anyone just get off my case!" he snapped.

"You asked for my advice, Sharkey, don't like it, don't ask for it." Bex retorted.

Finn sighed heavily. "Yeah I know… I'm sorry…" he muttered.

"Okay… if Amy starts getting on at you again just tell her to shut it and walk away."

"I don't think I can do this Bex…"

"Do what?" she questioned.

"This whole… standing by her thing… I dunno…" he sighed.

"It's okay to be scared you know… it's normal even. Just think about it before you make any rash decisions okay?" Bex said.

"Rebecca, off the phone now please." Michelle, her dance teacher said.

"I thought no one called you Rebecca." Finn commented with a smirk.

"Zip it Sharkey." Bex smirked and hung up; turning the phone on to silent and she put it in her bag, filing into the classroom with everyone else.

Finn smiled a little, but it still didn't clear everything up in his head. He thought he needed to call it off, because if he didn't know where this was going, it was unfair to leave Sam in the lurch.

"Finn come on! She's nearly here!" Amy called, walking over and dragging him. He decided he had better go with her whether he wanted to or not.

Everyone was packed into the school canteen, waiting for Sam to arrive, and everyone shouted and applauded as she entered the room.

Finn walked over and hugged her, forcing a smile. He was happy to see her, of course he was, but there was still that voice in the back of his mind saying "You can't do this. You're a coward. Run away now like you always do." But at this moment he chose to ignore it, leading her over to where the food was being served, and they both took their trays and sat down.

He really needed to stop and think before he spoke. He'd put his foot in it once again, forgetting she wasn't going to get better for just one moment. He looked around at the girls sat at the table and he sighed heavily, scowling. He got up and stormed out of the room, Sam following him.

After moments' talking, a hug and an attempted kiss, Finn stepped back from the girl he was supposed to love. He'd seen the scared look on her face at that point, but it still didn't stop him from saying they should call it a day. He'd seen how hurt and heartbroken she was, and all he wanted to do was hug her, tell her he didn't mean a single word of it, but his fear made him turn and walk out of the school, and spend the rest of the lunch break outside by the basketball court.

* * *

><p>Sam was stood, rooted to the spot. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard. She was torn 3 ways, part of her wanting to run after him and demand an explanation in true Sambuca Kelly style, part of her had accepted that he couldn't and wouldn't be there for her despite all her hopes and the final part of her wanted to fall to the floor and cry there and then.<p>

"Sam?"

She didn't move at the mention of her name, and closed her eyes, allowing the tears to fall as she felt the two pairs of arms of her best friends hug her.

"What happened?" Lauren asked, stepping back a little and moving a piece of hair from her friend's face.

Sam just looked at them both with tears still in her eyes. Lauren would have a sympathetic ear and Amy would want to go and kill him. She sighed heavily and looked at the floor. "Finn dumped me…" she muttered.

"Where is he? He can't do this to ya!" Amy ranted, going to walk out of the school but Lauren yanked her back by the hood of her jacket.

"Kill him later." Lauren said and nodded to Sam.

Amy looked at them both and nodded, hugging Sam again. "Tell ya what? Me, Lauren and Josh will come round to yours later, and we can stuff our faces full of crap, stick a few girlie films on and make a day of it?"

Sam nodded a little and smiled slightly. "Yeah I'd like that… " she said quietly.

"Great that's our evening planned then." Lauren smiled. "Feel up to staying or do you want to go back home?"

"I just wanna go home." Sam admitted, she looked the way she felt. Drained, tired, and now? Heartbroken.

Both girls hugged her again. "We'll stay here, keep an eye on him." Lauren said. "And I'll try not to let Amy kill him."

Sam laughed at that. "Leave that to me…"

Amy smiled. "Okay, but if you need help you know I'm more than capable."

Sam nodded. "Yeah…"

"Let's go find your mum and Mr Clarkson and they can take you home. We can tell them our plans for later." Lauren said.

"Mates round, junk food, films, and killing a teenage boy." Amy grinned.

Sam looked, still giggling and she walked in between them, both of them linked their arms with hers. She really would miss them. She worried about them, how they would cope when she wasn't around. What would happen with them?

Lauren saw the worried look flit across her friend's face. "Don't worry about us. We'll be fine…" she whispered.

Sam looked at her, not saying anything, the three of them walked back to the canteen, finding Tom and Rose stood together.

Amy and Lauren explained what had happened, and said they were going to go round to Sam's later.

"I'll see if I can find him later and try and have a talk with him." Tom sighed heavily. "Okay well we'll make ourselves scarce later, Denz is going to Emily's later anyway so he'll be out of the way."

"I could strangle that boy sometimes." Rose muttered.

"Join the queue." Amy put in.

"He's probably just as scared as we all are." Tom said. "The thing with Finn, as you know, he doesn't deal with things that scare him well, does he. Remember when he thought he'd have to leave you all behind?"

Amy listened, and reluctantly agreed. She did remember it, a little too well sometimes. That didn't stop her from wanting to at least give him a slap across the face.

Tom, Rose and Sam left Amy and Lauren to it, and they went home, Tom had to go back to school though. He had tried to talk to Finn, but Finn didn't want to know, so he left it until the end of the day.

* * *

><p>Finn had managed to escape a talking to from Clarkson, but hadn't quite managed to stay completely out of trouble. Stupidly trusting a child killer, who had also lied about something that was happening to the one he loved. He'd gone out of class to meet her outside, he wanted to know what she had to say for herself, and nearly ended up getting seriously hurt himself.<p>

And now he was say in the quietest place he could find outside the school and he was sat against the wall, his phone in his hand. It was ringing, and he knew it would be Bex. Sighing heavily he answered it.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey.. you decided what you're gonna do yet?" she questioned.

Straight to the point. That's what he liked and admired about that girl. She also wasn't afraid to say exactly what she thought, just like Sam. "I ended it…" he muttered.

There was a moments' silence. "Did you want to? Or was that fear talking and you ran?"

"Fear talking and ran…" he admitted quietly. There were only 2 girls he would never be able to lie to, and it was Sam and Bex. Not intentionally anyway.

"So go over there and get her back." Bex said.

"What if I can't do it? I'm just gonna be the biggest let down to her, and I can't do that, I can't see that look of disappointment on her face."

"You'll be amazed what you can do. You won't even know you're doing it at times." She told him truthfully.

He trusted her; he knew she'd gone through the exact same thing of losing someone she loved to this vile disease. He'd seen it in her face when she spoke of it, something he wasn't able to detect in that child killer's face. That girl didn't even deserve to be called by her name; she should be locked up, not in witness protection. "What did you do?"

"I was just there whenever I could… we took him out, gave him the time of his life when we could… We were just… there. Didn't even have to go anywhere sometimes, but it was nice to. So just… go over there. Explain to her you were scared. Tell her you want to be there for her. Cause she's gonna need you now more than ever, Finn."

Finn nodded, listening to her. "Yeah… yeah I guess you're right."

"Okay. I'll be home at the weekend and I expect my two friends back together by the end of today, alright?"

He could hear the smile in her voice, which made him smile too. "Okay. Talk to you then."

"Bye, Sharkey."

"Piss off, Rebecca."

"How rude!" she laughed, as did he, and they both hung up.

Finn sighed heavily again, putting the phone in his pocket, and he stayed there, thinking for a few moments, before acting on his friend's advice and getting up, going to win back his girlfriend.


	11. Chapter 11

Finn was sat in the living room with Sam, just watching TV with her. He didn't know what she was watching but if it kept her happy then so be it.

"Mum!" Sam called. She was beginning to get restless. Being cooped up inside just wasn't her.

"Yeah, baby?" Rose stopped in the kitchen and she walked through to her.

"Can I go into school later? Being stuck in here's boring me."

"Oh, thanks babe." Finn smirked.

"Shut up." Sam smiled and looked at her mum.

"Maybe later. If you're feeling up to it." Rose smiled, and walked out to finish up in the kitchen.

'_That's a no then..._' Sam thought sadly. '_I hate cancer..._'

"I'm not made of glass." she muttered.

"Well you look it, so deal with it." Finn smiled, hugging her.

"You're..-"

"An annoying prat I know, Sambuca." Finn finished for her, smirking again.

"Good. But you're _my _annoying prat." Sam smiled and she kissed him softly.

Finn kept her close. He could physically feel how weak she had become in his arms and it took all of his being not to break down. He hated this. Why her? After everything they'd been through he was the wrong one here not her. '_I should be the on- No. Stop it Finn._' He mentally shook himself. No more. Anything she wanted she'd get, he'd make sure of it, just to see her smiling he'd do it.

Rose looked to the table as her phone rang, and she wiped her eyes, taking a deep breath and she answered the call. "Hello?"

"Rose, it's Tom... Finn's not in my class is he with you?"

"Yeah... yeah he's just sat with Sam.." Rose said.

"How is she...?"

"Weak... she's not eating. Tom she's wasting away in front of me and there's nothing I can do... Am I that bad a mother I don't know how to help my own child?"

"Course not, Rose. Don't ever think that okay?" Tom told her. "What's happening is terrible and it shouldn't happen cause she's the nicest kid I've ever known. But it's not your fault you don't know what to do. Why don't you bring her round the school about half 2? The kids are helping to set up the new community centre, it might do her some good, and you, to get a bit of laughter while you can with her."

"I dunno Tom..."

"She'll probably be bored out of her mind stuck in all day... She's not getting any worse with an afternoon out is she?"

"Fine... You coming to pick us up?"

"Yeah sure. See you later." Tom said and hung up, heading back into his classroom, the students instantly quietening.

Rose sighed heavily. She knew what she wanted to do right now... have a drink... But she promised Sam, and thinking of her only daughter stopped her from heading out the door. She put the phone back on the table and walked into the living room. "Hey, guess what?"

Sam and Finn looked over at her.

"Tom's gonna pick us up and take us to the school later, the school are opening up some community centre or something." Rose said.

"Okay." Sam smiled and looked back at the TV, and answering a text from Lauren.

* * *

><p>"Jess, hang on, slow down. What are you talking about?" Bex questioned, walking with her friends to the canteen.<p>

"My so called best mate stole my boyfriend!" Jess shouted. "Vicki slept with Aiden!"

Bex sighed heavily.

"And I'm pregnant."

"Oh great..." Bex ran her free hand through her hair and walked over to get something to eat. "Thought it was supposed to me that was supposed to get up the duff before you."

This got a laugh from her sister. "Yeah, sorry I got there first."

"And you're stupid for it."

"I know! I know..." Jess sighed.

"What you gonna do? About Vicki I mean."

"I'll get my own back. Mum's coming, gotta go. Talk later, promise." Jess said and hung up before Bex could say anything.

"I just hope you know what you're doing, Jessica." Bex muttered, following her friends up to class, mentally making a note to call her later, and Sam also. She ignored any questions her friends put to her about what was going on.

* * *

><p>AN: Apologies for the late reply and the somewhat rubbish update... :/ Hope you enjoyed it anyway


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Sorry for the late update xx

Sam looked out of the window, watching Tom's car leave the street, taking her brothers to school and her mum to the doctors. She sighed heavily, throwing herself backward onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. '_I hate being ill... Why can't it just go away and let me live..._' she thought and eventually pushed herself up, though it took up most of what energy she had left, and she slowly made her way down the stairs. "I'll do some toast or something... that will get my energy up..." she muttered to herself, trying her best to appear normal.

Once she had made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen, she forced herself to walk over to the kitchen side and put some bread in the toaster. She took the toast when it had popped up, put both slices on a plate and, deciding she couldn't be bothered walking to the fridge, sat at the table and ate it dry. While it wasn't the best, it did however, restore some energy to her body, and she slowly stood up, taking it slowly walking to the sink and putting the empty plate inside, before making her way into the living room and started looking through the drawers for the address book. "Bloody thing's got to be here somewhere." she muttered, and grinned when she eventually found it, opening it to look for Reynold's address. "He should know..." she added quietly. She took her phone from on top of the TV and texted Lauren to come to hers, and to bring Finn with her, then she called Bex.

Bex was sat in the corridor with her friends and the rest of her class waiting to go into the theatre to begin her exam when her phone rang. She took it out of her bag and answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey Bex.. are you free?" Sam asked.

"Sorry... got ten minutes until my exam... why what's up?" Bex asked quietly.

"Oh...well I've got a plan... I ain't got long left, and I want to say a final goodbye to my dad."

"Right... and do you know where he is?" Bex asked, she didn't know the situation surrounding Reynold, she had always made a point that it was not her business and she wasn't interested in knowing.

"Well this bit of paper says he's back in Blackpool...he deserves to know, don't he?"

"Yeah.. if it's what you really want to do..." Bex said, and something clicked in her head. She was saying goodbye to her too. "Sam.."

"Don't worry about me. After today I'll be okay. Good luck yeah?"

"Don't be gone too long." Bex said, keeping her voice level.

"You just try and stop me." Sam smiled and hung up.

Bex took a deep breath and put her phone away. She closed her eyes for a moment, swallowing back her tears and she sighed heavily again. "I'm fine." she muttered, opening her eyes and looking at one of the guys who spoke to her. Within minutes the group was called into the room, and Bex didn't get chance to think about the situation any more.

Rose made her way home from the doctors with Sam's medication, after a very long talk with a lovely nurse who wanted to listen to her and give her some advice. upon opening her front door she called up the stairs. "Sam! I'm back!" She waited for an answer, and when she didn't get one she thought she was asleep, and Rose walked up the stairs to check on her. "Sam?" she said gently, peering into her daughter's room, and started to panic when she saw no sign of her. "Sam!" she shouted, rushing back down the stairs into the living room. Sam's wheelchair had gone, and her address book lay open on the coffee table. "No..." she mumbled, seeing a name she never wanted to again as long as she lived. She took her phone from her bag and called Tom. "Tom... she's gone... She's gone to find Reynold... what if he hurts her?" she panicked.

"Rose.. calm down... she can't have gone far can she? I'll come over, I'll ask Karen to find me some cover." Tom told her calmly. "She's a strong kid, she'll be fine."

Rose nodded, hung up and waited anxiously for Tom to arrive. Sam wasn't strong at all. She was dying. She was weak. And Reynold was a monster that could break her so easily, so readily.

Tom sighed heavily, running his hand through his hair and walked out of his classroom, telling the class to keep quiet. He bumped into Josh, just making his way out of class. "Where you off to?"

"Toilet?" Josh raised an eyebrow at his dad.

"Right.. well if you see Finn or Lauren anywhere tell them to stay here, Sam's gone walkabout."

"They've gone. They left before first period." Josh answered, walking down the corridor.

"Where have they gone?" Tom called after him.

"Lauren said she got a message off Sam!" Josh called back, disappearing round the corner out of sight.

Tom nodded. "Great." he muttered, walking to Karen's office, explained the situation and was granted permission to leave and find them.

Karen looked out of the window. Waterloo Road certainly did have its troubles. The pupils in her care were struggling to find their place in the world, and for most of them, the back grounds they came from, the place they lived, held them back, stopped them from realising their potential because going down the wrong path was all they knew, and all Karen wanted to do was help them all. She didn't like the fact that Sam was just one child she couldnn't help. Karen was jolted from her thoughts when Janeece popped her head round the door.

"Miss Fisher, Bex is on the phone for yer." she said.

Karen nodded. "Put her through, Janeece." she said, sitting down, picking up the phone to receive the call, "Hello, love. How did the exam go?"

"Stressful so far... almost done now though. We've been monitored so far on contempory, music, and scripted work... all we've got left is testing our creativity when it comes to acting, how much of a story we can act out just making it up as we go on." Bex said softly.

"You'll do fine. You've always been creative."

"If you count random little drawings as a kid then yeah I have." Bex giggled.

"You were always a good story-teller as well, you used to go to your grandma's every weekend and she always used to say you'd have her laughing with the things you'd come up with, acting them out." Karen smiled.

"Oh, I'd forgotten about those." Bex gasped, smiling and looked as one of her tutors had signalled for her to go back into the theatre. "Got to go.. oh, and before I forget this, we've got our final performance of the year next month, it's going to be huge." she said.

"Alright, tell me more later, and I'll make arrangements to come up and see you." Karen said.

"Okay, love you." Bex said and hung up.

Karen hung up, raising an eyebrow toward the phone. "Love you too." she said sarcastically, nobody could hear her. She stood up and headed out of her office, walking down the corridor. She was about to walk down the stairs until she was stopped by Daniel Chalk.

"Mrs Fisher, could I have a word please?" he asked, unsure of himself.

Karen looked and nodded. "Of course." she answered, stepping away from the stairs.

"It's about Denzil. He's feeling a bit upset cause of the whole... situation with his sister... He had a cry earlier and thought he wasn't being a good brother because he couldn't do anything to help her. I did explain to him that it wasn't his fault, and that it's okay to cry and everything..."

Karen nodded in understanding. "Of course he would be." she said gently. "Do you want me to help talk to him or are you capable of handling it yourself?"

Daniel looked at her. "I think I could handle it. That is, if you want me to." he nodded.

"I'm sure you could. Any problems just let me know. Sam's gone off somewhere and Tom's gone to find her, and Finn and Lauren as well, so best to catch him later on." Karen told him with a smile and walked off down the stairs.

"Come on you lot, home time." Tom said, looking at Sam, Lauren and Finn.

Sam, although now extremely tired, still managed to give him a cheeky smile. "I'm allowed to have fun aren't I?"

'_She's still in there... Somewhere, but she's there._' Tom thought, and gave her a smile back. "Yes you are, but not when you're half asleep on your boyfriend." he commented.

"Hey I don't mind." Finn grinned.

"Yeah I bet you don't. Come on. It's getting late now and I stilll have to get back to the school." Tom answered, helping him to get Sam back to the car.

Lauren got into the back of the car with Sam, while Finn got in the front with Tom and they were driven home in silence, Sam lying against the huge teddy bear that was won for her. Lauren couldn't help but glance over at her best friend every so often, Finn looking in the wing mirror at her, keeping a close watch on her.

A/N: sorry it's been so long. I would go further but I'm crying already, so I'll end it there.. we don't really need to know what happens next we've all seen it, we've all cried... Next chapter may be a funeral.. haven't got that far yet.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: So it's finally here.. took a long time coming and here it is, apologies for the delay, and get your tissues ready, you'll need 'em

Tom just stared at his reflection in the mirror in his suit. Any moment now, Josh and Sam were going to come into his bedroom, laughing and then tease him about how he spent longer in the mirror than she did.

No... No they weren't. He'd never hear her voice again. Never see her looking at him the same way a daughter would look at her father whilst he would look at her with the same love he has for his own son Josh.

He sighed heavily, adjusted his tie and cleared his throat. "Josh come on!" he called as he exited the room and walked down the stairs to the kitchen where he had left his shoes the night before.

Josh too walked out of his own room in his school uniform minus the red and yellow tie an blazer, in their places were a black jacket and a plain tie. He walked down the stairs, on the phone to Lauren. He was consoling her whilst trying not to give in to his own grief. They had both lost a friend, Lauren had lost a best friend, a sister. He hated to think how Finn was dealing, or rather not dealing with it as the case may be. He'd find out soon though when they would all arrive at the church together to say their final goodbyes.

When he entered the kitchen he stopped dead. Tom was sat on a kitchen chair by the sink, a shoe still in his hand. He had never seen his dad look so... heartbroken. Sure he never looked happy when City lost a game, but Josh could always joke about it. He never looked happy when Finn would always try and include him in his stupid plans, but a cheeky smile and the offer of a takeaway soon sorted that little issue. But this...? Never in his life did he want to see that expression on his face again.

"Lauren I'll talk to you in a bit... Check on Finn for me..." he muttered before hanging up and walking over to Tom, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Tom's head snapped up from the contact and he quickly wiped his eyes. "Sorry son..." he said quietly and finished putting his shoes on and he stood from the chair.

Josh didn't say anything, just simply shrugged and went to go get his coat. What could he say? 'No need to be sorry dad, Sam's in a happy place now'? That would just be stupid talk. Especially when nobody knows where you go when you die.

"What are you thinking about?" Tom asked, walking over to him.

"Just Sam... How she's not hurting anymore." Josh said quietly, deciding that would be the better phrase to use.

"Yeah... It's nice to know that wherever she is, she's not in pain anymore." Tom sighed and hugged Josh without warning, half expecting Josh to shove him away and declare him as embarrassing as usual.

But this time Josh just let him, and hugged back. A rare moment for father and son.

* * *

><p>Denzil walked from his room, and out of habit, turned in the direction of Sam's room, and went to check that she was ready, as though it were a normal school day. Only realising when his hand found the door handle, and it instantly hit him, his eyes filled with tears again. They would never have a 'normal' start to the school day again.<p>

He jumped when he felt an arm go around him. He didn't need to look to know it was his mum.

"I should be in there now, winding her up cause she's got The Wanted or something playing loo loud... or calling them gay or something stupid like that..." he muttered.

"She'd be coming out that door telling you to get lost and you would be running down to take cover behind Prince." Rose nodded before drawing a heavy breath. "Come on, the cars will be ready in a few minutes." She said, leading him down the stairs.

"Where is Prince?" Denzil asked.

"Karen next door has him... A funeral is no place for a kid that young..."

"But he won't get to say goodbye..." his voice cracked at the last word.

"I'll take him to see her every day... He will get his chance I promise." Rose told him, hugging him gently. She just couldn't handle the questions her young son might have had.

Eventually Denzil pulled out of his mother's arms to look out of the window in the front door. "Mum they're here..."

Rose looked up, wiped her eyes and grabbed her bag from the banister, before exiting the house with Denzil. She saw Tom and Josh in his care and she walked over to it. "Come sit with us..."

Tom looked at her uneasily. "It's supposed to be for family, Rose..."

"You were her family... Well as good as... And not just hers but ours too..." Denzil piped up.

Tom just sighed and looked at Josh, who seemed to be checking up on his friends in the car behind. "Josh?"

"I think I'll go sit with Lauren and Finn... she's got her mum but he ain't got anyone."

Tom nodded and stopped the engine, both he and Josh getting out before Josh went and sat with Lauren, Finn and Lauren's mum in the car behind while Tom walked with Rose and Denzil to the one Sam was in, to make her final journey with her before she was buried.

* * *

><p>Lauren was sat beside him, sobbing quietly. But Finn? Finn was silent. Sure the tears fell, but Josh knew too well if he was quiet, the outcome afterward was never good, and brushed off any comforting touch Josh had tried to give him. Josh just settled for his arm around Lauren and occasionally tapping Finn on the shoulder to be sure he was... well, not okay, but at least not about to make a run for it.<p>

"You're wrong!"

Heads turned in the direction the voice came from, as though needing a good explanation for someone to be so rude to interrupt the funeral.

Finn stood, his expression a mixture of anger and complete loss. "You're talkin' up there like you knew her! Get off!" he moved his arm away from Lauren who had tried to get him to sit down. "You didn't know her at all, we knew her. Her family, her friends! The whole school knew her, but you're just some bloke standing there thinking God's way's the right way, well if he's so bloody great and powerful and all that crap you're spouting, why'd he take her? Why did someone so good, so pure so brilliant have to go while there's scum like her dad allowed to fucking live?!"

The whole room was silent.

Tom stood and walked over, gently but firmly starting to lead him outside. Only when they reached outside the doors and Tom had hugged him, did Finn finally break down and allow everything to just flow from him.


	14. Chapter 14

Rose laid out on the sofa, the tv the only light in the dark living room, though she wasn't really watching it. She was lost in her thoughts.

_Telling Denzil was easy. Heartbreaking. Life destroying for her. But easy. He'd done the guess work for her. Prince, though, was completely devastating._

_The morning started when Rose woke from a restless sleep, the now cold body of her 17 year old angel lying cradled in her arms, Tom lay next to her looking equally as devastated as she did.  
><em>

_"Have to tell them..." Rose muttered. "Got to tell the kids..."  
><em>

_Tom watched her. "Give youtself a bit of time..." he told her gently.  
><em>

_"No I can't." Rose shook her head then dissolved into tears. "Oh, God Tom how do I tell them?"  
><em>

_Tom just hugged her and whispered soft words to her, his own tears coursing down his face and into her hair.  
><em>

_Both of them willing Sam to wake up, just so they could both speak to her, even if it was for Rose to tell her off for playing such a cruel trick om her.  
><em>

_Denzil was still sat against his sister's bedroom door, his little brother sleeping in his arms.  
><em>

_"C'mon, Prince, wake up." he said gently, lightly shaking him.  
><em>

_The youngest child woke up, a big smile on his face at the sight of his big brother. "Den!" he grinned.  
><em>

_Denzil managed a small smile. "Let's go get breakfast." he said, standing him up and then standing up himself.  
><em>

_"Got wake Sam." Prince said with childish innocence.  
><em>

_Denzil knew his sister would never wake up again. He took a deep breath, swallowing his tears and shook his head. "Later, mate."  
><em>

_"Hmm 'kay!" Prince pouted.  
><em>

_"Now come on! You know what she's like in the mornings, she's a big scary dragon!" Denzil teased, making the child giggle.  
><em>

_"Scary! Rawr!" Prince giggled and sat on the top step and proceeded to slide down the stairs on his bottom.  
><em>

_Denzil took one last look at the door that bore the words "Sam's Room" before following his brother down the stairs to get him some breakfast.  
><em>

_He sat at the table, helping to feed his brother some cereal, internally debating whether to take him to nursery or not when he heard soft footsteps entering the room. He looked up to see his mother there.  
><em>

_"Come here, baby." Rose said softly.  
><em>

_Denzil placed the spoon down, got up and half ran across the room into her arms, and only then did he start sobbing.  
><em>

_"She's alright now, baby. She's not hurting anymore." Rose whispered, hugging him tightly.  
><em>

_"Why here mum? Sam never done anything to hurt anyone." Denzil sobbed.  
><em>

_"I don't know. I know she didn't, baby. She was a good girl. But just you remember this. She's always here, looking over us. She's alive in our hearts and memories as long as we remember that and remember her." Rose said gently, trying to reassure herself more than anybody else.  
><em>

_Prince looked on, making a loise of indignation at being left out, slid off his chair and ran over to them.  
><em>

_Rose looked, forced a smile and picked him up.  
><em>

_"Where Sam mummy?" Prince asked.  
><em>

_Rose didn't have time to wipe her tears away because more had fallen from her eyes. "She's asleep."  
><em>

_"Time to wake her up for school." Prince said with the same childish innocence as before.  
><em>

_"She's not waking up, baby. The angels took her up to heaven." Rose said and watched as her little boy started to cry, not fully understanding what she had meant. She hugged him and Denzil to her once more. "All those headaches she's been having, and how tired and very sick she's been, she won't have that anymore. The angels will look after her. And she will look after you."  
><em>

_"How mummy? When the angels have her?"  
><em>

_"Because she's an angel too. And angels look after the ones they love don't they?"  
><em>

_Prince nodded.  
><em>

_Tom came down the stairs after a while, walking into the kitchen and put a hand on Rose's shoulder. "An ambulance will be here to take her away soon." he said gently.  
><em>

_"I wanna see her." Denzil said quietly. "I need to know that she don't look like she's in pain."  
><em>

_Tom and Rose both shared a look.  
><em>

_"You go with him. I'll take Prince." Tom said, at this, Prince held his arms out for him, and Rose passed him over, putting her arms back around Denzil and the two of them walked up the stairs.  
><em>

_Denzlil stopped outside his sister's room, hesitating for a moment.  
><em>

_"Are you sure you want to do this?" Rose looked at him, unsure whether or not she should let him do this.  
><em>

_Denzil nodded, wiping his eyes for what seemed like the millionth time. He didn't know what to think or feel. Not one single clear thought ran through his mind, and his emotions were even more of a jumbled ball inside him.  
><em>

_Rose grasped the door handle, slowly pulled it down and opened the door.  
><em>

_Upon entry, Rose could see that Tom had had a bit of a clean up, and cleaned Sam up a bit too. Her matted blonde hair now was splayed across her shoulders, brushed through and tidy.  
><em>

_Sam really did look as though she were sleeping.  
><em>

_Denzil looked at his sister and walked over to her. "I'm sorry, Sam. For everything bad and stupid I did."  
><em>

_"Hey come on, now. She'll have forgiven you. No matter what you're still her brother. Still her family." Rose said.  
><em>

_"What are you gonna tell Earl?"  
><em>

_"I haven't thought that far ahead yet." Rose answered honestly. "Telling Earl and Marley will be tough, just like telling you two... Might leave Reynold to rot in his cell. Sam was right last night. She did find her dad. And yours. And Prince's. Tom's been here for us all and I can't thank him enough... Sam loved him like he was her own father."  
><em>

_"Reynold's still her dad though mum."  
><em>

_Rose thought for a few minutes. "Alright. I'll pass it to his mother. The old battle axe never liked us anyway, but she might just pass the message..." Rose sighed softly.  
><em>

_Denzil nodded. "She looks like she's sleeping."  
><em>

_"Yeah she does..." Rose agreed. "I'm keeping you two home with me today. I'm sure Mrs Fisher will understand..." she added, 'Oh Bex should know too... She's been so good with Sam since everything happened...' she thought.  
><em>

_"I don't want to go anyway." Denzil muttered, leaning down to kiss his sister on the cheek. "You best not come back to annoy me." he managed a small smile.  
><em>

_Rose smiled and watched Denzil leave the room. She ran her fingers through Sam's hair. "Goodnight, my angel. You'll never leave my heart. Or my mind." she said softly, kissing her on the forehead.  
><em>

_She too left the room and shut the door behind her. Eventually she walked down the stairs, walking into the living room to the phone and called the prison Earl was in, and made arrangements to see him the following day.  
><em>

_Marley didn't want to believe it. Her boy, so so far away from home and she felt helpless telling him over the phone.  
><em>

_"Mum?" Marley seemed surprised at the call.  
><em>

_"Hey, Marley. Listen... Have you got a minute for your old mum?" Rose sounded tired.  
><em>

_"Urm... yeah sure." Marley said, closing his study book and note pad. "What's up?"  
><em>

_"It's about Sam..."  
><em>

_"What about her? She's alright isn't she?" Marley was worried. He'd kknown Sam was ill, had known it was cancer. He wanted to know she was alight, he was due to come home at the weekend to see her.  
><em>

_"She's gone..." Rose whispered.  
><em>

_"Gone...? What do you mean...?" Marley asked. He'd known of course. How could he not? His mum never called him four days before he was due to return home. She'd always called him the night before. He could no longer hear Sam yelling at Denzil for pissing her off or for just plain irritating her.  
><em>

_"She went, Marley... In her sleep... I held her as she left, she wasn't alone..."  
><em>

_"No... she can't be..." Marley shook his head, tears filling his eyes.  
><em>

_Flick was sat the other side of the room, watching him carefully. She heard his words and her heart broke, and she got up off the chair, walking over and she hugged him.  
><em>

_"She's just a kid!" Marley shouted out.  
><em>

_"A kid who deserved the world, a kid who deserved to live, I know..." Rose said gently.  
><em>

_"Yeah she did... I'm coming home tomorrow." Marley said.  
><em>

_"Okay baby... Do you have someone to talk to?"  
><em>

_"Yeah, got Flick.." Marley answered, "She's the only one that understands..."  
><em>

_"Okay... Well I've got to see Earl tomorrow... To tell him..." Rose sighed softly.  
><em>

_"Mum that's gonna kill him..."  
><em>

_"I know... but he deserves to know... God knows how I'm going to do it though..."  
><em>

_"Wait till I get there... we'll go together." Marley said.  
><em>

_"Are you sure?"  
><em>

_"Yeah..." Marley answered. "We gotta go... got to finish our course work then try and sleep."  
><em>

_"Okay, speak tomorrow, Marley..." Rose said softly and hung up.  
><em>

_Marley just dropped the phone and stayed where he was, hugging Flick and just let all his emotions out.  
><em>

_Rose looked around her, the house unusually quiet. Sam's voice shouting for Denzil to keep out of her room couldn't be heard. Nor could Sam's favourite songs be heard either.  
><em>

_Just then, a ringtone could be heard from the kitchen. Sam's phone. Rose got up off the sofa and walked through to the kitchen to the phone, lying discarded on the kitchen side, as though it were just left there and Sam would be coming to get it in moments. But of course she wouldn't... Not anymore.  
><em>

_Finn's name flashed up on the screen.  
><em>

_"Oh, Finn..." Rose said softly. He'd been told earlier by Josh, through Tom. "Hearing her voice again won't help..." she muttered.  
><em>

_Tom had told her before he left that when Josh called Finn round, the news was broken to Finn, and he was completely heartbroken.  
><em>

_She knew Lauren was going to be equally upset, because she had been her best friend.  
><em>

_telling Earl was both difficult and worrying. They both knew what he was capable of when angry. The only person he'd ever lost was maxine, and he truly did love her. He'd never actually lost family until now.  
><em>

_Both Rose and Marley sat clutching each other's handsas they both waited in a room for Earl to be lead in to see them.  
><em>

_After a few more long moments of anxious waiting, the door finally opened.  
><em>

_Upon entry, Earl took one look at his mother's and brother's faces and could instantly tell that something was wrong.  
><em>

_"What's happened?" Earl asked, worried and he sat down opposite them.  
><em>

_"First of all... I just want to say how sorry I am that I never came here sooner..." Rose said gently.  
><em>

_Earl just shrugged. "I wouldn't wanna visit me either." he said.  
><em>

_There and then it struck Rose that she'd never even told him that Sam was ill.  
><em>

_"No... it's not that... it's something else that I should have told you sooner... Sam told me not to because she didn't want you worrying and getting worked up."  
><em>

_"Just spit it out, mum. It can't be that bad." Earl said, a slight smirk on his face.  
><em>

_"Sam had cancer." Rose told him, and watched to gauge his reaction.  
><em>

_The smirk dropped from his face in an instant. "What do you mean 'had'?"  
><em>

_"She had an inoperable brain tumour." Marley spoke.  
><em>

_"She begged me not to tell you... she died the early hours of yesterday morning..." Rose finished.  
><em>

_"And you never todl me?! Not even behind her back?!" Earl snapped. "She was my sister!I should have known!"  
><em>

_"I know... I know and I'm sorry..." Rose said softly.  
><em>

_"You weren't there for most of our lives! What the fuck do you care?!" Earl ranted. "We brought ourselves up! No fucking help from you cause you were too busy getting pissed all the time!"  
><em>

_"I know. I'll never forgive myself for that. But when Sam needed me, I was there for her. Where were you? Banged up in here cause you were too stupid to keep a gun and go chasing after your girlfriend."  
><em>

_"Is it any wonder with a mum like you?"  
><em>

_"Get him out of my sight." she snapped at the police officer who had entered the room upon hearing the raised voices. Inside thoughm she knew everything he said was true.  
><em>

_"You ay as well have caused that tumour in her head." Earl said as he was pulled from the room.  
><em>

_At those words, Rose burst into tears. Marley just glared after his brother, too stunned for words and he hugged her. "Don't listen to him..." he managed after a while.  
><em>

_"He's right though..."  
><em>

_"How? Tumours grow. You didn't give her one. You said it yourself, the doctors told you they couldn't operate. You and Tom didn't give up on her, not even till the end."  
><em>

_Rose nodded, but she didn't believe him. Earl was right. Had been all along. And she hated herself for it.  
><em>


	15. Chapter 15

"You're not staying in here all day, only leaving to go to school." Bex told Finn, who was sulking on the sofa. She knew how badly it had affected him that Sam was no longer there, but that was a month ago now, and it worried her to see her friend in this state.

"What else have I got?" Finn huffed, glaring at the floor.

"Me. And Josh, and Lauren." Bex answered, walking round and she knelt on the floor in front of him, trying to coax him in to looking at her. "Just think about it, if she was here now, she'd be dragging you out that door." she told him, putting her hand on his.

Finn sighed and forced himself to look at her. "I know... I know, but I just... I can't."

"Yes you can. You can and you have to." she said in a gentle but firm tone. "I'm a dancer, Sharkey not your counsellor." she added with a smirk.

Finn let out a small laugh. "Sorry Fisher!" he threw back.

"Shut up." she reached to the side, grabbed a cushion and hit him with it. "Anyway. I need a samiliar face in the audience at my performance next week." she smiled.

"And you think I'm the one for it?"

"Well... Josh said he was busy so I thought you'll have to do." she teased, smiling.

Finn laughed again and lightly shoved her back.

"Oi!" she giggled and raised herself up and pushed him back. She pushed herself up on to her feet and dropped back down on to the sofa beside him. "Right. I've been here for an hour trying to get a noise outta you and you ain't offered me a cuppa yet! Get to it!" she smirked.

"You've got legs. Very nice legs in fact so you better use 'em." Finn smirked. "Ow!" he scowled when she kicked him. "Alright no need for violence."

"Go." Bex ordered, laughing, pointing to the kitchen, and she watched as Finn stood, and did as he was told.

Eventually Finn came back with two cups, tea for her, coffee for himself, and he sat down.

"Mum's leaving the school..." Bex said gently.

"Why?"

"She says she doesn't see the point in fighting against somebody who clearly wants her out. But me and Jess have convinced her to see the year out. If she still wants out at the end of it, then it's time to go. But if there's even a glimpse of a fight left in her I'll make sure she stays."

Finn nodded. "Seems like no one wants to be Head of that place." he smirked. "Mason left now Fisher's goin'."

"And it's all your fault." she teased.

"Hey!" he laughed and lightly elbowed her. "I'm not that bad."

"Course you're not." she laughed and leaned against him as he put his arm around her. "Complete angel aren't you."

"Could say the same for you, porn star." he smirked.

"Ouch!" she said in mock hurt. "God you really know how to wound a girl." she pouted, then ended up laughing again. She liked how easy they could just get along, throw things at each other but know they'd never mean it.

"Yeah, you? Hurt? You're a better actress than I thought." he joked, looking down at her.

"Well I try." she commented, looking back up at him and she smiled. She kissed him gently on the cheek, pushed herself up to get the tv remote and dropped herself back against him.

They both sat in a comfortable silence as they watched whatever was on the tv, their earlier conversation abandoned.

Finn knew it was too soon, but his earlier feelings for his friend were coming back, what he didn't know, was that she was hiding how she felt from the start.

A/N: Got a feeling this was bad... I'm sorry guys, started writing this before last Thursday's episode and just.. yeah :(


	16. Chapter 16

"Bex?"

Bex turned way from the mirror she was looking into to face who had spoken to her and she smiled. "Jess!" she squealed and ran to hug her sister. "You're early. And how did you get back here no one's allowed?"

"Well I had nothing else to do, school's out early and mum walked, but this time with her head held high." Jess smiled and shrugged. "I snuck in didn't I!"

Bex shook her head and laughed. "Well we're just about to do our final dress rehersal before tonight."

"Finn said he'll be here later, and Josh, and Mr Clarkson. So no pressure."

"I can handle Finn and Josh. And Clarkson's only gonna be coming cause no one would trust either of them with their car." Bex laughed. "Finn stalled the car last time, and from what I heard, nearly knocked Mr Chalk over."

"He'd have bounced off it!" Jess laughed, along with Bex at that.

"Oh Jess that's awful!" Bex gasped and looked over her shoulder at two of the girls that passed them and gave them a dirty look. "Look I know my sister and I are hot but there's no need to stare!"

The girls in question scowled and hurried off before any more could be said.

"They think cause they're older and in the higher year that they're better than everyone else. They'll be brought down a peg or two tonight when our group goes out there. There's a sort of stand-off thing in the middle of the show where the first and second years battle it out and everything. We just have to do our best to make sure we come up on top." Bex explained when she saw Jess's questioning look.

Jess nodded slightly. "Since when did you become competitive?" she smirked.

"Since I started at this place. And anyway, what's this I've heard about you, Aiden and Vicki?" Bex raised an eyebrow.

"Ugh... Aiden played us both, got us both pregnant, and she lost hers... We fell out for a bit, but mum kind of made me think about her since she lost her baby... Ro was devastated when he found out, but he would have stood by her." Jess sighed.

"Jess? You're stupid but I never thought you were that stupid." Bex noted, looking at her.

"I know I know..." Jess sighed heavily. "What can I do?"

"Well is Aiden gonna step up?"

"He says he will..."

"Well if he don't, I'll deal with him." Bex smiled and hugged her.

"Rebecca where are you? It's almost time!"

"Alright I'm nearly done!" Bex called back to her tutor as she stepped away from her sister. "I'll see you later." she whispered to her sister, and ran to meet the others on stage for the first run through.

Jess sighed softly and snuck out the way she came, remaining unseen at all times until she had walked out the door. She wheeled around and peered through the window watching as the final rehearsals began for her sister, until somebody had tapped her shoulder and asked her to leave the corridor.

* * *

><p>Bex sighed shakily, peering between the curtains as the audience began to filter through and take their seats. Her phone, along with many of the other girls', was buzzing frantically with many messages of good luck and encouragement.<p>

"You alright?"

Bex looked when she heard the voice and smiled a little when she saw her friend. "Yeah... I guess so, nerves are kickin' in already."

"The adrenaline will kick in soon, you'll hardly notice the nerves. You're the best of us all, Bex." Hannah spoke.

"Don't talk stupid. I'm not the best. Stood next to you, definitely not. Nah, we're as good as each other." Bex answered and then raised her voice so the rest of her group could hear; "And we're gonna give it the best we can aren't we girls!" the comment was met with shouts of agreement.

"Two minutes girls, places, now." came the voice of their tutors, who were to be their directors for the evening.

'_This is for you, Sam._' Bex thought, looking up toward the ceiling as the music began, signalling the start of their performance.

* * *

><p>"Bex? You've got 2 persistent boys waitin' to see ya!" one of the girls called over as she stood at the door of the dance studio which had turned into their dressing room.<p>

Bex rolled her eyes and finished getting dressed, and ran a brush through her hair as she walked over to the door. "Nah, it's just Josh, a random lad and my old school teacher!" she smirked when she saw them. As she looked, Josh didn't seem himself, but said nothing.

"Oh thanks, babe." Finn smirked, taking hold of her and kissed her before she could say a word.

Behind her the girls watching whooped and cheered, to which Bex responded by flicking her middle finger at them as she broke away. "Shut it you lot!" she shouted, laughing and she looked at Finn. "What's up with him?" she asked quietly so only Finn could hear.

"I'll explain later." Finn muttered. "Anyway, you were great out there tonight. Didn't know you had it in ya."

"Couldn't have done it without the girls though." Bex commented. "Anyway, I'm guessing you didn't take no for an answer since there's only you three here and my mum hasn't tackled me into a hug yet."

"Finn wouldn't shut up." Tom smiled. "Anyway, you ready to go?"

"Yeah lemme just get my bag." Bex smiled and ducked back into the room for her things. She said goodbye to her friends before leaving with Josh, Finn and Tom.


	17. Chapter 17

Once back at Tom Clarkson's Bex was still riding high on adrenaline, finding it difficult to relax. It didn't help that she was thinking about what Finn had told her. How had those two been so stupid to be messing around with drugs. Finn had seemed to be sworn off them, but Josh... she knew something wasn't right.

She was sat at the kitchen table lost in her own silence, she jumped at the touch of a hand on her shoulder, followed by a voice asking; "Can't sleep?"

She looked up to see Tom stood there, and she forced a small smile. "Yeah, just thinking." she asnwered, wondering whether Tom knew what the boys had been up to, but decided against asking.

"About what?"

"Just... stuff... mainly just tonight." Bex answered.

"If you're worried about that, then don't be, you did great out there tonight." Tom smiled, walking over to the sink to get a glass of water.

"Thanks.." Bex sighed softly.

"Come on, this is more than just insecurities of tonight. I've been a teacher and a parent long enough to know when something's up, even with a girl." Tom smiled.

Bex sighed softly, looking at him. "It's just..." she started then stopped. How did she ask for advice about Josh without getting him into trouble? "Well... It's about one of my friends..."

"The girls on the course?" Tom asked.

"Well... there's a boy with us too, and I think he might be in some sort of trouble."

"What sort of trouble?" Tom looked at her.

Bex bit her lip and looked down, suddenly finding her fingers interesting.

"Bex, you know you can tell me. It won't go any further than here if you don't want it to." Tom told her.

"I think... I think he's in trouble with drugs." Bex eventually stated, after moments of thinking. She bit her lip again and looked up at him. "And I dunno what to do to help him."

"Drugs? Look, I know you want to help, Bex, and it's an admirable thing to do. But you can't get yourself involved in that sort of stuff. It will be more trouble than it's worth." Tom told her.

"But I can't let him throw his life away though." Bex reasoned.

"So tell your teacher. Let a responsible adult who has seen and probably done it all deal with it."

Bex sighed.

"It will do you no good sitting here worrying about things you have no control of. The best way you can look out for him is to be there for him when he comes out the other side, and alert someone to the situation before it's too late."

Bex nodded and smiled a little, knowing he was right. "Yeah... yeah okay."

"Right, well I'm going to bed, I'll see you in the morning." Tom smiled and stood up.

Bex looked as he stood. "Okay, g'night." she spoke quietly.

"Night. Just keep in mind what I said, yeah?" Tom smiled before leaving the kitchen and making his way back up the stairs.

Bex sighed softly and remained seated for a few more moments before walking up the stairs to the room she was staying in. Tom said it was once Chlo's, his step-daughter's. But to look at the room now, it was bare, you wouldn't think a teenage girl used to sleep in this room, under this roof.

A/N: Sorry it's short, things have happened lately in the family and... I've not really been in the mood for writing, but I'm going to make sure I'm updating everything tonight, then I'll take a mini break from it all.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Losing the muse for this guys... need help for some ideas... or I may just let it collect dust, I don't even know if anyone reads this thing any more...


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